As efforts continue locally to combat the illicit drug trade, representatives from the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) were recently briefed on the work being undertaken by the Guyana Government.
The general role of the INCB is to promote Government’s compliance with the
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, Dr Raul Martin del Campo and Stefano Berterame (right and left of the Minister respectively) and NANA representatives at Tuesday’s meeting
international drug control conventions and to monitor the functioning of the international drug control system in the interest of the international community.
A team from INCB, including Dr Raul Martin del Campo and Stefano Berterame, met with Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan on Tuesday at his Brickdam office. Also present at the meeting were representatives of the Ministry’s National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA).
During the meeting, Minister Ramjattan informed representatives of the Government’s efforts in addressing drug trafficking and illicit production of drugs. He specifically mentioned the establishment of NANA, which is responsible for: planning and implementation of national drug policies; to reinforce the national Drug Information Network (DIN) to improve national drug information systems and rationalise strategies; and implementing the 2016 -2020 National Drug Strategy Master Plan (NDSMP), which addresses Demand Reduction, Supply Reduction, Control Measures, Institutional Strengthening and Policy Coordination as well as International Cooperation.
The Public Security Minister also informed the team of those projects under the purview of the Ministry to advance citizen security in Guyana. These include the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project to Strengthen Evidence-based Decision Making for Citizen Security in the Caribbean – CariSECURE, aimed at improving the quality, comparability, reliability and use of information management systems to inform citizen security policy and programme.
He also enlightened the team about the Cooperation Programme between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union on Drugs Policies (COPOLAD) project that will strengthen the capacity of National Drug Observatories (NDO) to elaborate their National Report.
During the meeting, discussions were also held in other areas of assistance that can further strengthen law enforcement agencies in addressing drug trafficking and illicit production of drugs.
